Baseball | 4/26/2013 1:16:00 PM
ESU Game Notes
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BOOKENDS
Emporia State ends the regular season at #8 Central Missouri. The Hornets and Mules started the season together at the Astros in Action D-II Invitational at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.
THE COACHES
Bob Fornelli is 404-170 in his tenth season at Emporia State and is 710-283 overall in his 17th year overall. He is the fourth winningest active coach in Division II and is 19th in total victories. He has led Emporia State to two Division II World Series appearances in eight NCAA Tournaments. Fornelli has taken teams to the NCAA Tournament 11 times, and was the national runner-up in 2009 with Emporia State and in 2000 while at Ft. Hays State.
LAST AT-BAT
Emporia State earned a split with Northeastern State at the Trusler Sports Complex on Wednesday afternoon. The Hornets won game one 3-2 before falling 6-1 in game two.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State has gone 5-3 over the last eight games after winning a season high eight straight to move into third in the MIAA. Blake Sturgeon is hitting .352 wtih 13 doubles, 34 runs scored and 20 RBI. Aaron Rea is batting .350 with 18 doubles, 31 RBI and 31 runs scored. Eric Dawson is at .349 with 31 RBI and 26 runs. Jordan Slade is batting .344 with eight doubles, six triples, five homers, 37 runs and 28 RBI. Last year’s MIAA Freshman of the Year Shawn Talkington is 4-4 with a 4.95 ERA, Brenton Higgins is 3-0 with a 4.36 ERA, Garrett Bane is 2-2 with a 4.95 ERA and Andrew Polly is 1-1 with a 7.66 ERA. Dakota McKaskle and Kevin Shaffer both threw Wednesday against Northeastern State.
SCOUTING THE MULES
Central Missouri is 31-9 overall and 25-8 in the MIAA. The Mules are ranked #8 in the ABCA National Poll and are #1 in the NCAA Central Regional Rankings. They lead the MIAA in pitching and fielding. Kyle Grieshaber is batting .367 with nine home runs and 49 RBI. Travis Higgs is 5-1 with a 3.48 ERA, Kurtis Schuyler is 4-3 with a 4.73 ERA and Chris Fitzpatrick is 3-0 wiht a 5.01 ERA.
THE SERIES
The first game will be the 172nd meeting between the Hornets and Mules. They have averaged six meetings per year over the last ten years. They had combined to win every MIAA regular season championship in the 21st century until Missouri Western captured this year’s title.
LAST TIME VS. CENTRAL MO.
Emporia State got only 13 hits over the double header as #6 Central Missouri had two pitchers throw complete games. The Hornets fell 6-0 in game one and 4-1 in the second game. At the plate Joe Kornbrust went two for three and Jordan Slade went two for two in the first game. Eric Dawson was two for four in game two with an RBI while Rudy Weiser went two for three and scored the lone run.
ON DECK
The opening round series of the MIAA Tournament begins May 2. The top four teams will host seeds 5-8 at campus sites. Emporia State can secure home field for the opening round with two wins this weekend or a combination of losses from Missouri Southern, Central Oklahoma and/or Northeastern State. If the Hornets host game time for the first game will be 6:00 p.m. on May 2 at Glennen Field in the Trusler Sports Complex.
